Marco Island baseball field’s future in limbo as community voices frustrations
The field located at Tommie Barfield Elementary could be turned into green space for students.
The field located at Tommie Barfield Elementary could be turned into green space for students.
The field located at Tommie Barfield Elementary could be turned into green space for students.
A yearslong interlocal agreement allowing public access to the baseball field at Tommie Barfield Elementary School is on the verge of termination. Collier County Public Schools has announced plans to end its agreement with the city of Marco Island, citing safety concerns and the deteriorated condition of the field.
“This is the only elementary school in Collier County without open green space for its students," said Chad Oliver with the district.
The field is covered in potholes and fire ant mounds and has an uneven surface. In addition to the facility itself, Marco Island police were called to the school in early January to trespass a man from the property who was using the facility while school was in session.
"We operate over 30 elementary and middle schools, and this is the only campus where P.E. and recess share a space with a neglected ball field. Baseball isn’t part of our curriculum, but the safety and needs of our students are," said Oliver.
The agreement, which enabled the city to maintain the field while allowing the public to use it after school hours, is set to be reviewed during a school board meeting on Feb. 5.
'We’re landlocked'
For the Marco Island community, the decision to close the field has sparked frustration — not necessarily with the district, but with the city for letting the field fall into such disrepair.
“There’s no other option for us ... we’re landlocked. You can’t just go build another baseball diamond somewhere," said Tom Polston, commissioner of the Marco Island Senior Softball League.
Polston says his league has 216 players across 16 teams, and during the high season, games are played nearly every day at Winterberry Park.
“We’re already sharing Winterberry with Little League teams, soccer teams, even cricket players. ... It’s always packed, and now the kids are losing another field. It’s just tough," said Polston.
While many of the adult leagues held at Winterberry Park are hosted in the afternoons or mornings, some games overlap with Little League's after students get out of school.
“We’re constantly competing for time. ... Sometimes I’ll drive by Winterberry five or six times a day, just hoping to find an open batting cage. It’s next to impossible," said Omar Guillen, the father of two children who participate in Gulf Coast Little League.
A tough decision
The agenda item to terminate the agreement is up for discussion at the Feb. 5 school board meeting. It is slated to be on the consent agenda, meaning it has already been agreed upon unless the item is brought up for discussion. If approved, the field will be converted into a green space similar to one at Lely Elementary and other elementary schools throughout Collier County.
“This isn’t an easy decision ... but at the end of the day, this is about safety and creating a better environment for our students. That’s where our responsibility lies," said Oliver.
For now, Marco Island’s athletes — from Little League players to seniors — are left wondering how the already limited resources will stretch even further. The district tells ABC7 that repairs would cost nearly $150,000.
“We need the space. ... This isn’t just about baseball. It’s about the community, and it feels like we’re being forgotten. The money exists somewhere," said Polston.